Myths vs facts: CRP Entzündung and stress

CRP (C-reactive protein) is a non-specific inflammatory marker that can be elevated by infections, tissue damage, and also by chronic stress. Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which can increase CRP production in the liver via cortisol and cytokines. However, this effect is moderate and highly dependent on individual factors such as sleep, diet, exercise, and psychological resilience. A common myth is that a high CRP level is solely caused by genetic variants like rs1205. The fact is that this variant has only a small and clinically uncertain influence. Lifestyle factors and acute inflammation are far more relevant. The assumption that stress directly and permanently causes high CRP is also oversimplified – stress and inflammation interact in a complex cycle. Consumer DNA tests often overstate the importance of single gene variants for inflammatory markers. If you have elevated CRP, you should primarily look for infections, chronic conditions, and lifestyle factors, not a single gene.